"When I decided to go vegan, 31years into my life, it was for entirely personal reasons, as it must be for any significant, longterm directional change in life. The main turning point for me was the bountiful health aspects, coupled with the profound environmental impact vegan lifestyles have and, of course, the ethical component. I spent the first nine months or so isolated from the vegan community, doing things on my own, finding my own way. When I finally reached out, I was welcomed with open arms into a group of people with their moral compasses all intact.
Hands down, the worst part of being a vegan is knowing the truth. It is mortifying. There is a certain amount of guilt involved in realizing what you've been unknowingly accepting and contributing for, paying for, for most of your life. Every vegan you will ever meet, through and through, will be an empath (as long as their not a fad-addict). They feel the pain of others and they take that all in willingly and try to transform it into something positive. Because of the grievous nature of death, this is a hard thing to do. There is no other way to cope with realizing the truth and to be surrounded by it everywhere in society. Ignoring it is really, really difficult when so many people are living the life you used to, unaware and blissfully ignorant. Your friends, family and the world you live in are so absorbed in something that's become so out of control. You honestly start to lose your faith in humanity. The world becomes very dark and the hole in your heart that started your vegan journey becomes bigger and bigger with more and more heartbreak. You feel morally obligated to do something eventually. This is why, when you find a group of like-minded people, it means the world to you. It is such a huge source of positivity. It inspires a little bit of faith in humanity that not all is lost, that something can be done, that other people, and not just you, can change. There are millions upon millions of vegans who feel this way, so for us to offend the majority of the population with our entirely positive beliefs, is saying a lot about the majority of the population from our side of the fence. There's something there that we can all resonate with, which is my so many volatile emotions surround this controversial topic."
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I have recognized several different types of people once I became vegan. I have had friends approach me over the issues and express their moral dilemma and their reasons. I have spoken with farmers and 'agvocates' who tell me some of their moral dilemmas and conflicts. The following are some close friends and family of mine (names changed) who have helped me to realize the different mindsets that are viewing me and reacting to mere exposure to my lifestyle.
Anabelle: a bigger advocate for animal welfare than me, before I went vegan that is. She follows my journey and we have spoken extensively. One of her biggest hangups: no familial support, her social network wouldn't accept her, and it would be hard. She is afraid.
Roberta: says she was once vegetarian. Did not discuss this at length, but recognizes herself as a hypocrite and says one day she will probably become vegan, but just not yet. Thinks that how I live is wonderful and has lots of respect.
Melanie: Gave up dairy a while back and says the same--she will probably become vegan, just isn't ready yet.
Melanie: Gave up dairy a while back and says the same--she will probably become vegan, just isn't ready yet.
Eric: a farmer who is so engrained in his way of life, his community, his society. His friends are farmers, he was raised to hunt, he eats meat and dairy in his SAD (standard american diet). Meets me and suddenly begins to ask himself questions that have never even remotely entered his mind. He is conflicted, morally, ethically and justifiably so, this is totally unfamiliar territory.
Albert: "I'll eat it as long as it tastes good." The simple man with simple desires. Loves animals and cares for them, but is content being removed from the truth of his actions and not willing to make changes that her perceives as 'difficult' or challenging.
Red: judged me once and never said anything more about it. Doesn't want to hear it.
Veronica: Has never inquired about my reasoning, my logic, my thoughts, which seems a bit odd for her character. For someone so rational, has not inquired into the informational side of things. I feel, possibly because it will challenge the lifestyle she lives with her partner who is not interested. Rarely comments on my newfound way of life, but has relayed critical information to me on a few occasions.
These are examples of people who have given me some insight into my impact on their view of their eating habits and lifestyles choices. I've excluded the vegan counterpart, seeing as this is in relation to me, the vegan.
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Herein lies the conflict: We are all surrounded by our own individual, personal, omnivorous community. It's society in a nutshell, really. Dare I say . . . unfortunately. It's a society that doesn't like to have its deeply engrained beliefs or way of life challenged. I feel, it is a society that is very dependant on collective acceptance, as there isn't a lot of science to support the not-so-wise choices many of us have made and still do.
I've always been a lone duck, an island, a strong minded individual with a strong will. I'm quite content standing alone, which made the switch to veganism very easy for me, fortunately.
That's great market infiltration at its best: put a little bit of what we're selling in everything, oblivious to the consumer, so almost the entire market depends on us to some degree, more or less. Less is more. Especially when it comes to death!
Less death is a good thing, who would disagree with that?! Society, as a whole knows this, and it's time the animal agriculture industry stopped fighting against it, because honestly, at a certain point, society as a whole is going to look at them for what they are: greedy, dishonest fools.
We all know we need to eat our fruits and veggies. Our parents told us that, our grandparents, and on and on. Yet, as a society, we have continued to increase our consumption of animals and animal products, as well as use more products with dead animals (unnecessarily) hidden in them that we aren't even aware of. More and more scientific study and mass media information is saturating society's mindset with the virtues of plant-based eating, or at the very least, eating less meat and less dairy. Potentially, no dairy, a philosophy I keep hearing about more and more. (Most of the world's humans are naturally lactose intolerant, did you know that? Adult milk drinkers have a genetic mutation. Mutants, haha).
Society has consumed increasing amounts of animals and animal products for decades now, at every meal, in almost every thing they eat. It was never meant to be that way. The western world, with its diet and lifestyle related 'diseases of affluence' have created lifestyle habits that will leave their offspring with a shorter life expectancy than their own. How sad is that?
Heart disease will kill more than half of us. Heart disease isn't even a natural or expected way to die. Our own hearts giving out on us? Come on . . . And if it's not that, it's cancer (the top killers largely affiliated with diet/lifestyle: lung, colon, prostate, breast, ovarian), or complications from diabetes or obesity. The list goes on. Our way of life has changed so much in the last few decades alone, to one that is so far removed from what we consume and what we need. Fast food. Easy food. Dining out. Take out. Processed. Packaged. Enriched. Let's put real, whole food back on the menu.
We've become dependant on media and advertising to tell us what we need, and if it's not in the food that the market sells us, the market then sells us supplements. If those supplements don't work, they sell us gimmicks, or diet fads, or books and programs. When those don't work, they sell us medications and surgeries. And when those don't work, they collect the money from our life insurance for that oversized casket and funeral processions. After that, they just hope you've had an impact on your family who will follow in your footsteps. Follow the money. Straight to your grave.
We are, very simply put, what we eat. SAD. (the Standard American Diet)
Even more, we are what we digest in our minds. And that's what sparked the change in me. Knowledge.
The best food for thought won't be found in media advertising, that's all about making money. If you want to create health and wellbeing, question authority, ask personal questions, find your own answers and think for yourself!
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